By John Ostapowicz / The Jambar
After a loss in the Conference USA Tournament, the Youngstown State University bowling team was selected by the NCAA on March 26 for its fifth consecutive at-large berth in the National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championship.
The tournament begins at 9 a.m. April 3, with YSU receiving a bye-week in the Rochester Regional until April 4. The team will await the winner of Match One — Marian University against St. Vincent College.
The NCAA selection committee overlooked YSU’s losses to both Sam Houston State University and Stephen F. Austin State University, and selected the team as the No. 3 seed in the 19-team tournament. In the NCAA Tournament, reigning national champion Jacksonville State University received the No. 1 overall seed and the University of Nebraska was slotted in the No. 2 spot.
Only four teams can emerge from the regional matches with sites located in Pittsburgh, Arlington, Texas, Lansing, Michigan and Rochester, New York.
In 2024, YSU advanced to the NC Bowling Championship Final Four after it defeated the University of Nebraska in the Lansing Regional. Despite a hard-fought effort against Sam Houston, Youngstown State was defeated by Arkansas State University.
The team finished third in the tournament, which marked the best finish in program history.
Head Coach Doug Kuberski said the universities within the Rochester Regional bracket have the potential to make a playoff run, but his hope is to get YSU back to the Final Four.
“We have to go up there and draw upon the season and all of our successes and use it as fuel,” Kuberski said.
The Penguins found success this season with a 87-32 overall record and currently sit third in the NCAA Bowling Rating Percentage Index. The Rochester Regional begins April 3-5 at Bowl-A-Roll Lanes in Rochester.